Train-pipe connector.



C. B. DICKERSON. TRAIN PIPE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3, 1.914. 1,175,936. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEETI.

Inventor THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON/D, c.

C. B. DICKERSON.

TRAIN PIPE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3. 1914.

1,175,936. Patented Mar. 21,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys CORNELIUS B. DICKERSON, 0F FLOYD, VIRGINIA.

TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed October 3, 1914. Serial No. 864,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS B. Dron- ERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Floyd, in the county of Floyd and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Train-Pipe Connector, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in train pipe connectors, one object of the present invention, being the provision of a connector of a type that is readily attached to and which will not necessitate the discarding of the equipments now employed, it being so designed as to permit of the connection thereto of the usual manual coupler in case an abutting car is not equipped with the present automatic connector.

A further object of the present invention, is the pro-vision of an automatic connector for train pipes, which is readily supported below the car and in such a position, as to be readily coupled when the car couplers are connected together and which will probably register with each other regardless of the variable distance of the bodies of the car from the rails, thus insuring the proper mating of the parts when the cars are moved together into coupling relation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a spring propelled connector, having an operable connection with the train line cock, whereby when the connector is projected. the cock is closed to be opened automatically as the connector couples with a mating connector and permit the pressure fluid to pass through both connectors.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the present invention applied to two freight cars. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the connector heads and its assemblage per 86, said head being in its retracted connected position. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the connector head. Fig. 4 is an end view of one connector head. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a cross section illustrating the position of the two mating connectors showing the locking bolts for maintaining the same together. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a connector head for use in connection with passenger service. Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the train cock connecting means. Fig. 11 illustrates a modified supporting means for supporting the head of the present connector.

Referring to the drawings, A and B designate the respective mating connectors.

As the detail construction of each connector is the same, a description of one will suffice for both.

The head 1 is provided with three jaws 2 constructed to receive the aws of the mating connector, the body portion 1 being provided with a central bore 3, sealed at the end by means of the enlargement 4 which carries the hollow supporting shank or tubular member 5.

A port 6 is in communication with the bore 3 through one side of the casing or head 1, and has connected thereto the threeway valve 8, said three-way valve 8 having led therefrom the hose 9 connected to the train cock 10 of the train line, while the hose 11 is provided to connect with a car not equipped with the present connector, it being providedwith the usual connectors or couplers, not shown. At the forward end of the bore 3 is a port 12 having seated therein, the rubber gasket 13.

Connected to the under side of the car body C is a bracket 22, having the cruciform terminal, the center portion of which is adapted to be slidably mounted within the tubular stem or supporting member 5 with the arms 2d and 25 projecting through the longitudinal slots 26 and 27 in the member 5, while the lower arm 28 and the shank portion 29 project through and are slidably mounted in the vertically disposed slots 30 and 31. Interposed'between the bracket 22 and the rear end of the head 1 and surrounding the supporting member 5 is a coiled spring 32.

In the apertured lug 33 formed at the rear of the tubular supporting member 5 is attached a coiled spring 34: whose opposite terminal is connected to the lower end of the arm or bracket 35 attached to and carried by the car. This bracket is in rear of but in faces of the car couplers so that they will mate and connect before the car couplers themselves are automatically connected due to the coming together of the cars.

In order to provide a means for locking themating coupling members'together and yet at the same time permitting the automatic release thereof when the cars are uncoupled so as to prevent injury to the mating pipe connector, a vertically disposed opening or bore 38 is provided in one of the aws for the reception of the sliding locking bolt 39, the same being carried, as shown in Fig. 9, in the forward free end of the controlling lever 40 which is fulcrumed to the lug 41 to the under side of the connector head, while the rear weightedend 42 of the lever 40 is connected to a chain 43 which in turn is con nected to the arm 24. Thus it will be seen that when the train connector head is moved a sufiicient distance to tighten the chain 43, the chain will elevate the weighted end 42 of the lever and thus lower the bolt 39 and disconnect it from the mating connector head.

As illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the connector head 1 is provided with the three bores 3 so that the air brake, train signaling and steam heating connections of a passenger train may be accommodated. Leading from each of the respective chambers is a bore 6, which accommodates the present device to the three-wayrvalves 8 which. aresimilar to the valves 8'heretofore described, thus permitting the connector for the passenger train to be readily connected to the train line pipes thereof and permitting the present device to be used in connection with cars provided with the ordinary equipment.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 10, the means for connecting the arm 37 to-the train cook 10, for opening and closingthe cock, as the connector head is moved longitudinally, comprises the two parallel slotted supporting bars 45 for the two slidable plates 46 and 47 A cross plate 48 connects the plates 46 and 47 together for simultaneous movement, the slot 49 being provided in the plate 46 to receive the upper end of the arm 37. The

plate 46 is connected at one end to the lever 50 of the cook 10.

It will thus be seen that when the head is projected by the springs, that the arm 37 will move the plates 46, 47 and 48 to operate the lever 50 and close the cook 10, while the opposite movement of the connector, due to the mating thereof with another connector will move these plates and the lever 50 in an opposite direction to open the valve. In Fig. 11, a different manner of resiliently hanging the connector head 1 is shown, two

springs 51 being connected by rings 52 to the eyed lug 53 while the opposite ends carry rings 54 that slide in the two depending frames 55.

WVhat is claimed is 1. A train pipe connector embodying a pair of heads having guide wings arranged to interfit. with one another, said heads having bores adapted to be brought into communication, a lock bolt slidably carried by one wing of each head to engage the adjacent wing of the opposite head, and weighted levers fulcrumed to the heads and engaged to said bolts to automatically engage the bolts to the respective wings of the opposite heads and to enable the bolts to be released.

2. In a train pipe connector, a connecting head having, a tubular shank provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots, a bracket having a cruciform member whose central portion is disposed within the shank, the arms of said member passing through said slots, a coiled spring disposed upon said shankbetween said head and bracket, said shank having a. plurality of arms, and springs connecting the last mentionedarms and the arms of said cruciform member.

3. A train pipe connector embodying a pair of heads having guide wings arranged to inte'rfit with one another, said heads having bores adapted to be brought into communication, a look bolt slidably carried by one wing of each head to engage the adjacent wing of'the opposite head, weighted levers fulcrumed to thejheads and engaged to said bolts to automatically engage the 'ooRuELIus nnioknnsoiv; Q Witnesses:

J. O; HOPKINS,

A. P. HARMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

" a Washington, D. G.

claim the foregoing V 

